Looking For Freedom
by LostPirate
Summary: Will, Elizabeth, and their two children are in danger of something unknown. The only information Will has is what his father has told him: leave their hidden home, but stay away from Port Royal, where Elizabeth still has family.


"Do you fear death, Mr. Turner?" Will's eyes flared with rage at Davy Jones, the sight of his unconscious bride played as fuel for the flames. Polished metal shining bright amongst the sleet grey torrent and rain, its on solid moment flowed with eternity. Its sharpened tip seeking, with deadly accuracy, its mark. Flesh and bone alike split apart as now tainted steel passed through the core of Will's very being; the heart. With his fatal cry of agony, Elizabeth awoke and rushed to her husband's side.

"Will! No!" She fell to her knees beside him unsure of what to do, but sure there was something she could do to save her beloved. "Will, don't leave me. We can fix this. There has to be a way…" As death took him firmly in its' malevolent grip, he could no longer hear her screaming for help. More than anything, he was scared for her.

"Somebody help him!" Elizabeth looked around at everyone: Jack, Gibbs, Ragetti, Pintel. Nobody was moving. She looked back at Will, her tears barely visible through the rain. "Will, please hold on. I love you…" With the freezing drops from above beating down, removing her coat, she attempted to fashion it into a tourniquet.

Will slowly reached up and placed his hand on Elizabeth's face. "I love you, Elizabeth, and I will always be with you." With the cries of his soon-to-be widow ringing through the air, Will drew in his last breath and, with failing sight, closed his eyes.

"Will?" He could barely hear a familiar male voice calling him. "Will?" As much as he wanted to, he just couldn't open his eyes. "Will, open your eyes now." Suddenly, his eyes began to open, adjusting to the blinding light of the sun. "There you are." He looked up and noticed a figure walking towards him. A little afraid, he scrambled to get away. The figure laughed and bent down, revealing themselves to be Will's father. "You're okay, son." He helped Will to his feet and as they looked around, Will grew more confused.

"Where are we? Is this Heaven?" He looked quizzically as Bootstrap pointed to a decently sized cottage overlooking the ocean.

"That's yours. Well," he began as a little girl ran out of the door with an older boy following her, and a beautiful woman following both children, "yours and your family's home."

"But I thought I was dead." Will shook his head, not understanding anything.

"You did die, Will. But we brought you back. Don't you remember? The battle? Ten years at sea? Coming home?" As Bootstrap went on, brief images of the past fourteen years played like a slideshow in Will's head.

"But then why am I here?"

"I brought you here. I know it sounds impossible, but I had to get to you some way." Bootstrap turned to his son, dire importance in his eyes. "Will, you've got to take Elizabeth and the kids far from here. There's something very dangerous headed your way." Will looked at his father, a million questions shooting off in his brain, but none able to escape his mouth. "That's all I know, son. I know you're full of questions, but I don't possess those answers. Just leave here, and be weary of Port Royal. They are allies no more. I've got to go now, Will. Be brave, my son." In the blink of an eye, Bootstrap was gone.

"Wait…what am I supposed to do?" Will looked around, praying that his father would return, or somehow, he would know why his father was telling him to leave his home. "Don't you do this to me," he shouted at the sky. "Come back and tell me what to do!"

"Will?" Suddenly, he heard her voice. He looked around, frantically trying to find the voice. "Will, wake-up, love."

"Elizabeth?" Everything around him began to fade to black, and then he saw her face. "Elizabeth? Are you real?" He put his hand up to her face and smiled as she nuzzled his palm with her cheek.

"Yes, love. I'm real" She looked at him, concern blanketing her face. "Will, you were screaming out in your sleep. What did you dream?" The relief disappeared from his face as he told her about his crazy dream. "So we have to leave all of this behind," she asked, motioning to the beautiful cottage that she had worked so hard at turning into a home while Will was gone "And we can't go to Port Royal? That's really the only place that makes sense. My cousin is the governess now. She would keep us safe."

"You know I wouldn't ask this of you unless it were of dire importance. And I know it seems absurd, but if my father says to stay away from Port Royal, there's a good reason. He wouldn't lead us into danger." She shook her head as she stood up and opened the curtains to let the morning light in. She smiled at the sight of their children playing and laughing on the grassy hill that looked down upon the beautiful beach. Will got up and put his arms around his wife's waist, holding her close as they both watched their children. "I won't let anything happen to them, or to you," he whispered as he bent down, his soft lips grazing the skin on her neck, and gently leaving their touch right below her ear. "We've beaten death. We can beat whatever else comes our way." She turned around and gave him a kiss.

"I know. I have faith in you, faith in us. I'm just scared for them." She looked up at him and said, "we've been through so much, Will. And William has only ever heard stories. He doesn't know what to really expect. And Rosilyn. She's only four. A very precocious four at that. What are we supposed to do if we're at sea and suddenly, we're engaged in battle? Will, I can't hold her in one arm and swordfight at the same time."

Will knew she was right. They were going to need help to escape any coming danger. "I think I know of a way to get us through." Elizabeth could already tell what he was thinking and began shaking her head. "It's our only option, Elizabeth. Believe me, if I thought there was a way around it, I wouldn't even think it. If I leave now, I can be in Tortuga in a few days time."

"And what about us, Will?" She threw her hands up in the air, shaking her head as she walked from the window to the door, and back again. "What am I supposed to do if this, whatever it is, comes after us while you're gone?"

Will walked over to her, placing his hands on her arms. "I'm scared, too. I haven't been this scared since the night I almost died, but we can do this." He kissed her forehead and looked down at her. "We're pirates, love. If anyone can pull it off, it would be us."

She shook her head and chuckled. "Look at me. Pirate King and I'm all in shambles over what?" She looked up at him, a weak smile on her face. "Go to Tortuga. Find whoever you can. I'll send word to whoever I can."

"I guess we should break the news to the children." They both looked out the window. William was climbing a tree, while Rosilyn was trying to catch a yellow butterfly. Will smiled as he watched his kids, in all their innocence. It broke his heart to think that somehow, he had caused the troubles they were about to see.

Elizabeth's hand fell to his, and gently squeezed it, letting him know that she was behind him all the way. "Come now. We've got to be strong for them" They walked out of their cottage and joined their children on the hill. "William, Rosilyn, come here. Your father and I have to talk to you."

Will scooped Rosilyn off the ground, hugging her tightly. "I've got to leave for a few weeks. When I come back, I'm going to have some friends with me. They're going to help us find a new home."

"What's wrong with the one we have," William asked, his eyebrows shifting with confusion. Will looked at Elizabeth, unsure of whether to let the children know of the danger ahead.

"We're not safe here anymore, William. It wasn't an easy decision to make, but we only want what's best for you and Rosilyn." She wanted to promise them a better, safer place to live, but knew that she couldn't.

"I need you to watch after your mother and sister while I'm gone. Keep them safe. Remember our sword fighting lessons and use them when they're needed." He looked at Rosilyn, "and remember your favorite hiding spot. If you get scared, go there until mummy, William, or I come to find you, okay?"

"I promise, daddy." He gave her a kiss on the forehead and put her back on the ground.

He gave William a tight hug, saying, "be brave, but don't be afraid to be scared." William shook his head and picked Rosilyn up while their parents said their good-byes.

Will put his forehead to Elizabeth's, looking deep into her eyes. "I promise, whatever it takes, I will keep the three of you safe. I love you, and as soon as I return, we'll make things better for us again." Elizabeth placed her hand on his cheek, pulling his face closer and giving him a kiss. "As always, keep a weather eye on the horizon."

Elizabeth, William, and Rosilyn watched as Will took off on their schooner, in search of help. "Please keep them safe," Will prayed silently as he steered towards Tortuga.


End file.
